As a boy and his dog plant seeds in anticipation of spring, there’s no noticeable change. Time passes, and there’s still no growth – at least from what they can see. This part takes longer than they expect it to. They bide their time as days pass, waiting around for something, anything, springtime, to happen. It’s not despair, exactly. It’s waiting, holding a space that feels differently from the way they thought it would. This book captures that powerful essence of in-between.
Every time I experience this story, I marvel how it “tells itself” in so few words. Erin E. Stead’s soft, gentle illustrations carry me along into a childlike state of waiting and wondering.
During my conversation with Fogliano about And Then It’s Spring, I noticed parallels between her actual creation of the book and the story itself. Here’s this beautiful telling of the sensitive, quiet passage between winter and spring, and Fogliano says, “I never thought I’d be writing about nature…I spent a lot of time outside as a kid, so I draw from that. And my own children are always pointing out tiny details in nature that they notice, which I would probably miss otherwise.” It cracks me up that Fogliano was looking for something to happen somewhere else, when it was nature-based all the time.
I asked Fogliano how she guided Stead to create these illustrations, which flow together so easefully with the text. She said that it was actually Stead who saw the story in her words. Stead’s illustrations illuminated Fogliano’s text into a story.
Just as the boy and his dog waited for winter to move into spring, the process behind this book strikes me as similar: an invisibility to each step of the process as it moved forward, until the story assumed a physical form that both author and illustrator could experience. I liken this watching and waiting to so many areas in my life – especially parenting, where I’m not privy to the deep inner work happening with my kids, or in myself, and I mistakenly assume an absence of it.
I recommend And Then It’s Spring as part of your family’s springtime journey. And keep an eye out for Fogliano’s new book, If You Want to See a Whale, another fantastic read that comes out on May 7. For more information about Julia Fogliano’s And Then It’s Spring, visit https://us.macmillan.com/andthenitsspring. To learn more about the award, visit www.ezra-jack-keats.org.
Storm King Arts Center
Every time I turn around, something’s in 3-D, 4-D, RealD, HDTV, THX, you name it. Ever wish that you could give your kids the chance to experience something grand without all the hype? Then check out Storm King Art Center. Storm King is a fantastic 500-acre sculpture park, which means that families can combine their interest in art, including large sculptures along a vast landscape, while giving their junior art enthusiasts a chance to be outside.
In addition to daily tours at 2 p.m., Storm King offers interactive programs for families on Sundays at 1 p.m., free with Storm King admission. I appreciate the sheer scale of some of the art, and how thoughtfully and beautifully each piece is sited. Immerse yourselves in the experience and bring a picnic so you can make a day of it.
Storm King’s season runs from April 3 through December 1. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and until 8 p.m. on Saturdays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Admission costs $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for students and free for members and children under age 5.
Storm King is located at 1 Museum Road in New Windsor. For more information, call (845) 534-3115 or visit www.stormking.org.
